Improvement in aerial ships



,PATENTED FEB. 8, 11870.

'2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 V M. BRAUN.

AERIAL SHIP.

a: VA.

gaunt dtiiiiitr.

MARTIN BRAUN, OF CAPE VINCENT, NEW YORK.

Letters Patent'li'o. 99,629, dated February 8, 1870.

' mpnovzims vr m AERIAL SHIPS. I

Thesohedule referred to in theso'llettora Patent andmiadzmg p311- o. the same 1'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN BRAUN, of Cape "hr cent, in the county of Jefferson, and State of New York, have invented a new Machine for Navigating the Air; and I do hereby declare that the following 'is full, clear, and exact description thereof, referen e beiiigii'ad to the accompanying drawings, in \vhioh.

Figiiiel is a side elevation of my aerial ship; Figure 2 is. a top plan view of the same, with the gas-holder removed; Figure 3 is afview of one of the elevating-whceis;. Figure 4 is a view of one of the propellers;

Fight-m5 is a view of one of the propellcr wings or blades, detached;

' Figure 6 isa viewof a part detached; and

Figure 7 is a bottom plan view ofv the gas-holder, showing the three compartments into which. it is divided, and alsothe metal frame secured around its outer edge.

The nature of my invention consists- First, fastening a-hoat directly to the gas-holder by short cords, inst-end of b longropes, as in the ordinary balloon, so as to compel the gas-liolder to fol-v low every movement and impulse of the boat.

Second, in mahihg. the gas-holder or balloon of the form of a bisected oval,'.and of such a size that in descending, its base will present a larger surface than the boat, and thus enable the, with the aid of proper balances, to give the proper courseor direetioxLto thehoat. f

Third, in constructing; and, attaching tofthe boat certaindevioeh, by the '(iperation of which I am enabled to raise the ship above or depress it belowits :natiual floating-level or point of suspension in the in enable others sk-illed i ri the art a mat. and

use my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

:The ship consists of three principal parts, viz: the gas-holder or balloon; the boat 0': body; and the mechanism hy'whicli .it is elevated, propelled, and

The gas-hoider or halioon I make of a form approx imating that of a double, cone or rhomboid', bisected longitudinally, as shown in figs. 1 and 7, and it, is arranged, when in operation, with its flat side dowh.

I make the gas-holder of the best-vulcanized rubhersilh cloth, the sutures being shownat w 02, figs. 1

I divide the gas-holder into three or more separate gas-tight compartments, for the purpose of greater security against accidents, and also to allow the ends, after exhausting the gas, to be compressed, thus making the gas-holder smaller, and less buoyant.

The under, flat side of the gas-holder I sew tightly to a wire, or other metal frame, A E E 0, running aroundits outer edge, as shown in 1 and 2. Over the gas-holder I place a network, X X, and secure itslower edges to the metal frame. Bymeans of short crirds 1 Secure the gas-holder t o .the car. These cords may connect thetwo in any suitable manner, so as to hold them securely together.

The met-at frame of the gas-holder I connect with the lower corners of the car, by four stays, g, as shown in'figs. l and 2. I

The elevators, of which there may be one or more pairs, consist each of a series of inclined blades, at:

.tacbed to-a vertical revolving shaft,'and resembling very much the ordinary screw-propeller, as used in marine vessels. 7 These propellers, and their manner of operation, are clearly. shown in figs. 2 and 3,11" being their shafts, one looatedoneach side of the boat, and .L being the inclined or oblique blades.

Around the, outer ends of the' hladesjL, I secure a rim, H,'which' extends below the lower edges of the blades, so as to support another scriesof blades, horeinafter describixli" To each of theshafts T, below the elevating-blades, I secure-a. square box, K, which turns with the shaft. Through the sides of these boxes K, I insert the john nals ot'blades'O, and to these journals, inside of'th'c box, attach, bevel-pinions It, as shown in fig. 4.

The outer ends of these blades "are also provided with journals, bearing 'in'the rim ll, so that the blades are left free to turn over.

The journals at the outer ends of the bhules I cause to project outside of the rim ll, arid attach to each of thema'har. or head, V, having a'prqiecting roller in eachiend, as shown in fig. 4.

Around each of the shafts T, immediately below the blades 0, I secure a platform, T U W,

fl"; 6, I 4 l 5 having on its upper side a semicircular row of cogs,

s, over which the pinions It are carried, as the shaft T revolves. The cogs in each of thosemic'ircular rows I-make hall 3'.S llmny in numberas the teeth on each pinion.

Upon the platform-T U W, on the oppositeside cogs s, 1 form a raised semi of the shaft from the I circular track, X, over which the rollers of heads V traverse at each revolution of the shafts .T.

The shafts T wit-litheir blades, 1 locate one on'eaeh side of the body, and in line with the outside of the same, so that one-half of the revolution of: the arms is made outside, and the remaining haif-i-nside of body. The platforms I'ar'range, with the tracks X,

on the inner side, or within the body, sis-shown in: fig.

the shattsT are put in 2. When thus arranged, as

motion, the arms L and O are revolved'about them, and by meansof the pinions and cogs, the blades 0 are revolved on their journals or feathered; that is to say, as they pass around outside of the body, they wheel, lever, or handle, for operating it.

are presented flatwise against the air, and as they pass inside, are presented edgewise to the same.

When the shafts '17 are revolved in one direction,

of the boat a long projecting screw-rod, S, carrying a heavy weight, g, which, by turning the rod, may be drawn into or moved out from the boat, as necessary. The inner end of this screw-rod I extend into the interior of the body, and provide it with a suitable t the stern of the body, I locate a horizontal projecting rod or shaft, Y, which extends to theinterior of the body, and is provided with a suitable handle or lever, and to this rod, outside of the boat, I attach a balancing device or rudder, B, as shown in fig. 2. When the ship is rising or falling, it may be turned in any desired direction by turning this rudder in one direction or the other; and it may also serve to aid in righting the ship fore and aft, by turning it horizontally, and thus causing one endof the ship to present more resistance than'the other to the air.

By means of the devices, arranged as described, I am enabled to elevate and depress my ship at will, and guide and propel it in any desired direction.

The boat I construct of the lightest and strongest materials procurable, provide it with a door and windows, and also in the interior with suitable seats, lockers, 8m, and arrange the various handles, levers,

2., in such positions that they may be conveniently reached from a common point.

I also arrange within the boat a compass, 1, 3 barometer, 2, a thermometer, 3, a spirit-level, 4, and

make, through the bottom, an opening, 5, for observations of the country below.

F or the purpose of landing or stopping the ship at any desired point, and for holding it when not afloat, I provide a Windlass, carrying a rope or' chain, provided with a gmppling-hook, which may be let down through an opening in the bottom of the boat, and hooked on to any stationary object below, and then, by winding up the Windlass, the ship hauled down.

It is obvious that the propellers and elevators may be so arranged as that one may be run independently of the others, and thus the ship elevated without being propelled, and nice verso.

Any suitable engines may be employed to operate the shafts T, they not constituting any part of ill y invcnticn.

It will be observed that the rudder serves to steer one propeller faster than the other.

Having thus described my invention,

'What I claim, is

1. An aerial ship, consisting of the body A, the balloon A" l I), the elevating-blades L, and propelling-blades O, the screw-rod S, with its adjustable weight g and the rudder B", all constructed, shaped, and arranged to beopeiated substantiallyas herein deseri bed.

2. The balloon A" B C D, constructed of three or more gas-tight compartments, and shaped and conscribed, and lbr the purpose set forth.

3. In combination'with the balloon A" BC" I), the elevating-blades I, and vertical shaft T, when constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereln described, and for the purpose set fiorth.

4. The propelling-blades O, pinions It, and heads A, in combination with the shaft '1 and platform 'l" U W, with its row of cogs s, and track X, all ponstructed as herein described, and for the purpose set forth.

5. The screw-rod S, with its adjustable weight y, constructed and arranged to be operated as described, for the purpose of balancing the ship, as set forth.

The horizontal shaft Y, provided on its inner a steering or balancing blade or rudder B, shaped as shown, and arranged to operate as described and for the purpose set forth.

Dated Cape Vincent, Jefferson county, New York, August 1, 1867.

' MARTIN BRAUN. Witnesses:

J so. H. Moons, H. J. Gunvomx.

the ship only when the same is moving vertically, it being steered when moving horizontally by running nected to the body of an aerial ship, as herein deend with a handle or lever, and on its outer end with 

